DESCRIPTION

The Fates have made their decision and their decision is final: a contest between good and evil must begin to decide the destiny of the world. And so it is written: warriors on Earth shall fight each other until one emerges victorious. Only this individual will be considered worthy enough to hold the coveted Talisman of Fate!

This is the premise behind Titus' 3D fighting game based on the hit television series Xena: Warrior Princess. Players will be able to settle the score as one of ten characters from the syndicated show. Besides the Warrior Princess herself, the following heroes represent the forces of good: Xena's sidekick Gabrielle, the clumsy Joxer, master thief Autolycus, warrior Ephiny and the sage Lao Ma.

Each character carries a primary weapon and uses special attacks that mirror those of their television counterparts, so Gabrielle will wield her staff and Xena can hurl her Chakram in addition to swinging her mighty sword. The members opposed to Xena and her band include goddess Callisto, god Ares, Gabrielle's nemesis Velasca, Roman Emperor Caesar, and boss character Despair. Defeat all who oppose you to wrest the Talisman of Fate from demon Dahak!

Four different game modes are available before slipping into the boots of one of the characters: Quest Mode, Vs. Mode, Roster Mode and Practice. The Quest Mode involves obtaining the Talisman of Fate by defeating all fighters in succession. Each fight consists of two rounds and up to two players can join forces to take on the computer challengers (if so desired). By finishing the Quest Mode in record time, players will be able to add their initials to the high score screen at the end of the game.

The Vs. Mode differs from the type found in most fighting games on the system, since up to four players can compete simultaneously on one screen! Players can customize each team so that one character can take on up to three at once, two can take on two, and so forth. Matchups can be any number of computer-controlled fighters against human players, so solo gamers can play the Vs. Mode against multiple computer opponents.

Roster Mode is structured in the exact same manner as the Vs. Mode, only players have the option of choosing multiple fighters before the battle takes place. If the player loses a character in a fight, the next chosen character will take his or her place until the player's lineup has expired. Practice Mode simply lets players hone their attacks and basic moves as they compete against a computer opponent without the fear of dying.

Xena: Warrior Princess offers three difficulty levels (which determine how many opponents you'll face at once as well as their overall ability), adjustable round lengths and the ability to set the number of rounds comprising a fight. Players can also customize their controller and save this configuration to a Controller Pak. In addition, battle-hungry warriors can feel each blow with the Rumble Pak accessory and view high-resolution graphics with an Expansion Pak. Battle on, Xena! ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide